Improvement in knitting-machines



UNITED STATES PATENT CFFICE.

G. M. PATTEN, OF BATH, MAINE.

IMPRVEMENT IN KNITTING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 86,033, dated January 19, 1869.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, G. M. PATTEN, of Bath, in the county of Sagadahoc and State of Maine, have invented a new and Improved Knitting- Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in knitting-machines, the object of which is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of the same, and consists of the several improvements which will be hereinafter described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a plan view of a comb knittingmachine. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation and section of the comb. Figs. 3 to 7 represent various positions assumed by the needlelooper and knocking-oft' bar with refer ence to each other and the teeth of the comb in the process of knitting. Fig. 8 represents a front view of the cam-wheel and needle-bar with parts broken away. Fig. 9 represents a side view of the same, also with parts broken away. Fig. l0 represents a plan view of the registering-wheel and the means of operating the same. Fig. l1 represents a cross-section of the bearing of the cam-wheel shaft on the line x w of Fig. l; and Fig. l2 represents a detached portion, showing the tumbler for changing the spiral vane on the cam-wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the bed-frame of a knittingmachine, from which rises the curved and branched bracket B.

C represents a comb, provided with iin gers, whereon the loops are formed. The said comb is arranged to reciprocate on the bed in suitable guides to carry the lingers past the needle and looper, and for that purpose is provided with arack-bar, a., into which gears a helical vane, al, on the cam-wheel D, which receives motion from the driving-wheel E by gears, or in any other suitable manner.

To provide for moving the comb in either direction, one end of the vane al is arranged to assume automatically a right or left hand pitch in the followin g manner: a2, Fig. 8,1cp-

rescnts a rotating tumbler, arranged in a recess in cam-wheel D, provided with journalsand starewheels on each end, and with a spiral groove, a3, in the periphery of the portion between the journals, which traverses from one end of the enlarged portion of the tumbler to the other and back again to the place of starting at one revolution of the same around the said tumbler. Recesses a4 are also provided in the tumbler on each side at the angles where the groove changes its direction, which recesses communicate with the groove.

The movable end of the' helical vane is pro vided with a projection, a5, which takes into the said groove, passing through a slot in the face of the cam-wheel D, communicating with the recess wherein the tumbler is arranged. The said projection springs into the recesses a4 in the tumbler after each change of the vane has been effected, which will be presently described, and rests therein during the movement of the comb bar from point to point where the changes are effected.

The star-wheels on the tumbler are provided with four teeth or tappets.

a represents dogs, which are attached to the rack-bar so as to slide thereon, and may be secured at any desired point by the swinging levers ct", which drop into the notches between the teeth of the rack-bar. The said dogs are provided with studs a8. The swinging levers al are bent from each side toward the tumbler, and serve as gages for setting the dogs.

When the comb-bar has been moved in either direction so as to bring one of the dogs, a6, nearly into contact with the cam-wheel D, in the revolution of the latter, a tappet on the star-wheel on the side next to the dog will strike the pin a8 on the said dog, and the tum` bler will thereby be turned a quarter of a revolution, which will move the vane on the periphery of the cam-wheel from a helical to an annular position, whereby the movement of the combbar in either direction will cease, while the motion of the other parts of the machine will continue.

As the cam-wheel D, however, makes another revolution, another tappet on the star-wheel will be brought into contactwith the pin a8 on the dog, and the star-wheel again moved a quarter of a revolution, whereby the vane will be again moved into a helical line, but in the l til the dog as, on the other side of the camwheel, comes up and effects a similar change of the vane. As the vane is central or in the same plane for a greater' portion of the circumference thereof', the motion of the comb-bar is intermittent.

By reason of the continuance ofthe combbar in its position during two revolutions of the cam-wheel at the point where its direction of motion changes, as above explainedttwo stitches are made on one finger at the outer edges of the fabric, thereby giving to the edges their full complement, which would not otherwise be the case.

F represents the needle-arm, and Gr'represents the looper-arm, both of which are pivoted to the bracket B, and actuated by cam-grooves in the sides of the cam-wheel D. The arm F is provided with a stud, b, which projects into the groove b1 of the cam-wheel, whereby a swinging motion is communicated to the said arm. yThe lower end of the said arm is provided with a slot and a spring, which latter is provided with a stud, b4, and a hook, b5. The

stud b4 projects through a hole in the needle.

arm F. The toe b of the needlearm and the heel b'I are angularly-shaped, as shown in`the drawings, for the purpose of locking tightly with the needle-carriage H, which is provided with a notched recess to correspond with the foot of the needle-arm. The needle-carriage is provided in its lower edge with a semicircular recess, and tsinto the groove b2 in the bottom of the foot of the needle-arm, and the spring-hook b5 catches under it in the groove, whereby the needle-carriage is easily attached or detached from the carrier, and is also firmly connected to it.

I represents a yarn-tension wheel, supported on a pin secured to the needle-carriage. D8 represents the needle, and b9 the knocking-off bar. K represents the twisted looper-shaft, to which the looper-head c1 is adj ustably connected, bein g provided with a socket, into which the end of the shaft K fits, and is held therein by a set-screw. The looper-shaft is arranged in its bearings so as to slide lengthwise therein, and is moved in either direction by the forked arm G at the same time that it communicates rotary motion to the said shaft. The outer end of the shaft is provided with a pin, which, coniing in contact with the circular cam c3, governs the forward movement of the looper toward the comb-teeth in respect not only to the said forward movement, but also in respect to the position of the looper in its rotary movement at the time of said forward movement.

By reason of the above-described arrangement for driving the needle and looper from two sets of apparatus actuated by two distinct cams, I am enabled more effectually to adjust the movements of one relatively to another, whereby the needle docs not run into the looper until that is withdrawn and turned around, enabling the looper to run close to the needle on the return-stroke.

h represents a dial-plate, for registering the number of rows knit, and is actuated by the spring-pawls d d, connected to the vibrating lever d2, pivoted to the bed at d3, and provided at its other end with a socket, in which is se cured some frictional material, arranged to be held in close contact with the back face of the comb-bar, which gives it motion in either direction, each movement of the comb-bar moving the wheel one degree. The pins d4 in the bed prevent the lever moving too'far.

The bracket B is provided with a long circular boss, B1, having a cylindrical opening through it, in which is fitted the eccentricsleeve B2, provided with ahandle, B3, proj ecting through a circumferential slot, B4, in the boss B1. 1

The shaft e of the cam-wheel D is fitted within the eccentric-sleeve B2, which serves as a bearing for it.

By means of this arrangement, the camwheel may be raised or lowered, so as to connect the vane al with or disconnect it from the teeth of the rack-bar.

The operation of the knitting-*machine which is the subject of the aforesaid improvements which I have applied to it is as follows: The

fabric being suspended from the fingers of the comb, as represented in Fig. 3, the needle is caused to move forward, together with the knocking-off bar, at the proper time, by the cam D driving the point through the loop on the finger, and afterward knocking it off, as shown in Fig. 4, onto the needle. At this momentthe looper is moved forward, and also commences a rotary motion, engaging its point in the loop of yarn which hangs under the needle, between the eye of the same and the connection of the yarn with the old loop, as shown in Fig. 5, which it takes up and carries with it in its rotary movement until it arrives at the position shown in Fig. 6, at which time its rotary motion ceases; but it moves forward, following the needle, which now begins to recede, until the position shown in Fig. 7 is assumed, at which time the looper ceases its forward movement while the needle continues its backward movement, withdrawing from the loop and tightening up the yarn, so that its tension holds the newly-formed loop on the nger, while the looper recedes to its rst position, leaving all the parts as indicated in Fig. l.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The cam-wheel D, provided with a reversible vane susceptible of automatic adjustment to a right and left hand pitch and to an annular or central position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the vane and combbar with a reversingtumbler, arranged and operating as described, so as to admit of a period of rest for the comb-bar during two revolutions of the said vane prior to reversing the motion of the bar, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The tumbler a2, provided With the groove a3 and recesses a4, in combination with the vane al, provided with the rounded projection a5, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The tumbler a2, provided with the tappetwheels, in combination with the adjustable do gs a, provided with pins a8, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The cam D, grooved upon opposite sides, in combination With the arm F, carrying the needle, and the arm G and looper-operating shaft, substantially as described, for the purpose specied.

6. The combination of the needle-arm F with the needle-carriage H, when connected together, substantially as and forthe purpose described.

7. The combination of the index-dial and its operating-lever d2 With the comb-bar when said lever is arranged to be operated by frictional contact With the comb-bar, substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination, with thc comb-bar, of the dogs a6, provided with stop-pins a8 and with the index-fingers al, which also serve to hold the dogs in place, substantially as and for the purpose described.

The above speciiication of my invention signed by me this 23d day of March, 1868.

G. M. PATTEN.

Witnesses:

JN0. S. ELLIOT, J AMES T. PATTEN. 

